WATCH: Wondo's latest goal vs. Seattle
Can an MVP nod be too far behind at this point?
It's a legitimate question after San Jose Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski swept up another individual honor, finishing No. 1 in the Castrol Weekly Top 20 as the top MLS performer in Week 29. (Read all about the Castrol methodology here.)
Add to that another Player of the Week award for Wondolowski, a new MLS single-season record with 10 game-winning goals and a virtual stranglehold on the Golden Boot award and the Supporters' Shield, and it's been a pretty good week for Wondo. And the Castrol rating that netted him the top spot was awarded for the 32-minute shift he logged against the Portland Timbers last Wednesday – the shortest run-out to claim No. 1 this season.
Earthquakes players book-ended the Top 20 (Steven Beitashour finished No. 20), but it was their counterparts in the East that ruled the roost. Sporting KC had four players in the top 10 – three from their 2-0 win over the Red Bulls, and one from the scoreless draw at Montreal – while the Columbus Crew were represented by three players.
LA Galaxy forward Robbie Keane at No. 2 is no surprise, but Josué Martínez's third-place finish for Philadelphia came out of the blue after a season spent largely on the margins of the Union.
Weekly Top 20 Performers - Week 29+ Powered by Castrol Index
Rank |
Player |
Position |
Team |
Minutes |
Points |
vs. |
1 |
Chris Wondolowski |
Forward |
San Jose Earthquakes |
32 |
1,626 |
Portland Timbers |
2 |
Robbie Keane |
Forward |
LA Galaxy |
90 |
1,518 |
Toronto FC |
3 |
Josué Martínez |
Forward |
Philadelphia Union |
90 |
1,454 |
Houston Dynamo |
4 |
C.J. Sapong |
Forward |
Sporting Kansas City |
90 |
1,351 |
NY Red Bulls |
5 |
Kei Kamara |
Forward |
Sporting Kansas City |
90 |
1,240 |
NY Red Bulls |
6 |
Jimmy Nielsen |
Goalkeeper |
Sporting Kansas City |
90 |
1,216 |
Montreal Impact |
7 |
Bill Hamid |
Goalkeeper |
D.C. United |
90 |
1,215 |
Philadelphia Union |
8 |
Matt Besler |
Defender |
Sporting Kansas City |
90 |
1,204 |
NY Red Bulls |
9 |
Jack McInerney |
Forward |
Philadelphia Union |
90 |
1,187 |
D.C. United |
10 |
Andy Gruenebaum |
Goalkeeper |
Columbus Crew |
90 |
1,152 |
Chivas USA |
11 |
Dan Kennedy |
Goalkeeper |
Chivas USA |
90 |
1,132 |
Columbus Crew |
12 |
Fabián Espíndola |
Forward |
Real Salt Lake |
82 |
1,123 |
Portland Timbers |
13 |
Bill Gaudette |
Goalkeeper |
New York Red Bulls |
90 |
1,072 |
Sporting KC |
14 |
Troy Perkins |
Goalkeeper |
Montreal Impact |
90 |
1,064 |
Sporting KC |
15 |
Dan Kennedy |
Goalkeeper |
Chivas USA |
90 |
1,037 |
D.C. United |
16 |
Chad Marshall |
Defender |
Columbus Crew |
90 |
1,027 |
Chicago Fire |
17 |
Darrius Barnes |
Defender |
New England Revolution |
90 |
1,012 |
NY Red Bulls |
18 |
Alain Rochat |
Defender |
Vancouver Whitecaps |
90 |
999 |
Colorado Rapids |
19 |
Jairo Arrieta |
Forward |
Columbus Crew |
90 |
996 |
Chivas USA |
20 |
Steven Beitashour |
Defender |
San Jose Earthquakes |
90 |
983 |
Portland Timbers |
